The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

Clapper: Leaks are ‘literally gut-wrenching,’ leaker being sought

June 9, 2013 at 10:12 a.m. EDT

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said in an interview that aired Saturday night that the leaks regarding the Obama administration's surveillance programs are "literally gut-wrenching" and that the administration has requested a criminal investigation into who leaked the information.

"For me, it is literally – not figuratively – literally gut-wrenching to see this happen because of the huge, grave damage it does to our intelligence capabilities," Clapper told NBC News's Andrea Mitchell.